The Shadow Within
by KittenRainbow
Summary: (This story is heavily inspired by Verran's "Fragments". Please read their story too!) Peace is again restored to the Mushroom Kingdom after Dimentio and the Chaos Heart had been forced down into oblivion. But what the four heroes didn't realize was that Dimentio had left one final trick behind - and it was in the form of one man in green. Have at you, and R&R!
1. Return to Homeland

The whole Mushroom Kingdom was beyond delighted to hear the news of the arrival of the three heroes. For several endless days, that terrible Void floated high among the heavens, growing larger every day, its energy growing more and more powerful by the hour. Toads everywhere hid deep inside the castle and in their homes, for they were too frightened to even come out. Nighttime was no better, as the Void's purple hues were still visible among the moonlight.

All this time, Toadsworth watched the whole thing unfold from the castle window. He wondered with a heavy heart where his dear princess was, and if she would ever return. But he also had to reassure the Toads daily, for they were losing hope rapidly. He gave daily speeches on the adventure that the Mario brothers and Princess Peach had embarked on. They had gone to battle King Bowser (surely he was one that caused all this) and take down the Void. They would be successful.

 _Just keep your heads up, Toads! The heroes will surely find a way to end all this._

 _Don't give up hope!_

Toadsworth kept in constant contact with Sarasaland and the BeanBean Kingdom. They, too, were being heavily affected by the Void. Every citizen stayed indoors or underground, refusing to come out. The royals were strictly confined to their palaces.

* * *

Then one day, it happened.

The Void grew so large that it nearly covered the entire length of the skies. Dark light pulsated from the center a few times, and then the Void opened its mouth. It began sucking in everything closest to it, starting with Toad Town. Trees and Warp Pipes were uprooted. Some buildings swayed as bricks and roof tiles were broken, while some buildings were taken away completely. Families screamed as some of their loved ones were whisked away into the Void. Many things were taken into the deadly purple portal, and the remaining Toads feared that they might not ever be seen again.

But amazingly, just as Toadsworth was giving out the order to abandon the village and castle, the Void stopped eating. More light pulsated from it, beaming brighter and brighter, until it gave a low, hollow shriek. The Void then gradually shrunk and disappeared from sight, giving out one last blinding flash.

As the weary Toads rubbed their eyes and looked around, they were greatly amazed. Everything that had been sucked up had been restored completely. Even the few citizens who were lost in the Void were back in the village, most sprawled out on the ground. Some were dizzy and confused, but they were alright. Teary reunions soon ensued throughout the streets as the families found their missing family members.

Everyone wanted to celebrate, but Toadsworth negated the thought. It would best to wait until the princess and the brothers had returned, for he knew in his heart that they had stopped the Void.

* * *

Meanwhile, the Toads got busy setting up the village and streets for the heroes' arrival. Banners and streamers were hung up, and a great banquet of food was prepared. Then, once everything was all set up, the citizens all waited eagerly for the guests of honor.

In the late afternoon, while waiting, some Toads heard the sounds of an Airship approaching. By instinct, everyone panicked, for they recognized the Airships of Bowser all too well. They all ran and hid behind the decorations, watching with fearful eyes.

In a matter of minutes, the single Airship landed quietly in the clearing adjacent to the castle. Interestingly, no one attacked or fired a single Bullet Bill. Toadsworth made his way to the front of the surrounding crowd to see what was going on. When the hatch finally unlocked and opened, all the citizens held their breath in anticipation and fear.

Mario, Luigi, Peach and Bowser all walked out of the Airship. They looked tired and worn-out, but what was most perplexing was that they all shared the same grim face of solemnness. Clearly, the battle to beat the Void must have been a difficult one.

The Toads did not seem to take this to heart, because they starting cheering happily, thanking the heroes incessantly for saving the very dimension from destruction.

Peach smiled a little as she went over to Toadsworth, who started bawling tears of joy, all while fussing over her. He was very worried about the scratches on her face and her dusty clothing, but she told him not to mind. She hugged him dearly, then went on to greet the rest of her subjects, smiling gratefully. She didn't talk much, though, for her mind was elsewhere.

Bowser, on the other hand, looked very peeved, not speaking a word as he kept his arms crossed. All the Toads were nervous, for they didn't know why he was there with the heroes, so they praised him vigorously, and that's when he opened up and smiled smugly to himself. He definitely liked being the center of attention. He went on to brag how victorious he was in the battles he had fought. He went as far to show off his bulky muscles and ferocious teeth. Truthfully, the Toads had little interest, but they made sure to keep him pleased with their appraisal.

Mario and Luigi, however, revealed no expression at all. They didn't look mad or uninterested, just empty and flat. Neither of them openly accepted the compliments showered down upon them, only nodded and shook the occasional hand. It was clear their thoughts were elsewhere.

Once everyone had settled down, Toadsworth hurried to the front of the crowd and conducted the starting of the welcoming ceremony with teary, yet joyful eyes.

Thus, the feast commenced.

* * *

Of course, Bowser, being the largest, had the biggest helping, at least five times as big as anyone else's. He gorged down endless plates while the onlooking Toads watched with big eyes. The meat was his favorite dish; he snarfed down many chicken drumsticks and juicy steaks, complete with Goomba's Soy Sauce. Then he moved right along to dessert. He managed to eat five bowls of Boo Ice Cream before leaning back on his chair, finally feeling full. And since it was Bowser, he kept talking and chewing with his mouth open, still going on about his many victories.

Peach ate with Toadsworth, though he noticed that her appetite had been reduced. She didn't eat much, nor did she talk as often, either. All she really ate was a small Chicken Caesar salad with a bowl of peach ice cream. And even then, she was picking at it. If her messed-up, raggedy clothes bothered Toadsworth, then seeing her meager appetite really did a number on him. He kept trying to make conversation with her, to get her to open up, but Peach still didn't say much. She was polite and gave answer to small talk, but no more than that. She seemed quite absentminded.

Mario's appetite was even smaller than hers. He did serve himself a plate, but he only took a few bites from it. He made no effort to talk with anyone. He kept looking up at the night sky, where the Void had resided just a few hours ago. He thought endlessly about Tippi and Luvbi and the Count Bleck gang and everyone else he encountered between dimensions. Some of these images haunted his mind.

Luigi did not eat anything. He was very quiet and withdrawn as he sat next to his brother. He kept wincing and looking away from the light, since he was having a large headache and the bright fluorescent lights didn't exactly help the situation. The constant pounding in his head never ceased, which greatly displeased him. He felt weak and disoriented, and at one point, he put his head down and closed his eyes.

Luigi also was plagued with images of the past. He remembered crashing Peach's "wedding", trying to escape Count Bleck's castle, and getting trapped by Nastasia and Dimentio.

Then darkness for long periods of time...then suddenly being revived by Mario at the bottom of the River Twygz. Dimentio had drowned him.

He whimpered softly as these images flashed through his thoughts, causing his head to throb even more. He rubbed the top of his head, where the pain was most severe.


	2. Headache

The joyful sounds of the banquet eventually faded into oblivion, and Luigi's world fell into a silent darkness.

* * *

Luigi opened his eyes into morning sunlight. The brightness hurt his eyes and irritated him, so he tried to roll over to avoid it-

-and fell right off the bed.

Luigi gave a shrill yelp as he landed on the floor. Rubbing his sore back, he managed to get up and looked around him.

He was in his room in the brothers' home.

How did he get here? Luigi had no memory of ever walking up here to his room. He didn't even remember getting up from the table at the banquet or putting his pajamas on.

Groaning slightly, Luigi hauled himself up. His headache hadn't lessened, and he could still feel a constant pounding, though he tried his best to ignore it. Putting on his slippers and his bathrobe, he started to head out, and that's when he saw it.

A note was taped to the door. Whoever wrote it had done it in such a rush. It was barely legible.

One look at the handwriting told Luigi it was from Mario. He quickly tore off the note and read it.

 _"Bro - Sorry. You fell asleep, and I could not wake you. I will talk later. Take care."_

That would explain everything. Mario must have taken him to bed and pajama'd him as well. Alright. No big mystery there.

Luigi had to admit, however: he did like reading his brother's writing. There was something about its formality that was enticing. Mario hardly ever wrote contractions, even though he spoke them all the time. He was always so unusually polite in his writing. Grammar wasn't always the best, but then again, English wasn't their first language.

Luigi folded the note twice and put it on the dresser. He dressed himself, then headed downstairs and out of the house, locking the door as he left. He didn't really giving its contents a second thought.

* * *

Even though the Toads had thrown such a large, bubbly-induced celebration last night, there was a tense, nervous feeling in the atmosphere this morning. Toads bustled by in the village, doing their errands as usual, but they all had this uncomfortable look on their faces. It didn't appear normal, especially not at this hour, when things were so cheerful.

It was also noted that no one spoke. This was unheard of, since these Toads were usually chatty. They always whistled and sang, too, but today it was quieter than a library.

Luigi stepped out and stopped one green-capped Toad who was carrying a few boxes out of his shop. "Hey, what's going on with everyone? They're all so quiet and nervous."

The Toad looked at Luigi strangely, as if he had grown an extra head. "Didn't you see it?" he asked incredulously, though he did so in a whisper. "Princess Peach and Bowser had a falling out. They started to argue about a wedding or something, and then it all went bad."

Luigi had no memory of this. This event must have happened after he fell asleep. "What else happened?"

"Everything, I guess. The banquet had to be cancelled. At one point things got so edgy that both Mario and Toadsworth had to step in. They argued and debated all night, and as far as I know, they're still arguing right now."

"Wedding..." Luigi repeated. Then it clicked in his mind. "The wedding! I get it now! Where are they?"

"In the castle library, I think."

* * *

Luigi burst into the castle and ran around the hallways, still wincing as the windows bombarded him with bright sunlight periodically. But he did not let that stop him. He remembered exactly what had happened at the wedding, and he felt compelled to tell his side of the story. Maybe he could help resolve the arguing!

He skidded to a halt when he reached the large mahogany doors that was the entrance. He opened the doors slowly and slipped inside, hoping not to attract too much attention at first.

Thankfully, most of the library's drapes were still drawn, blocking the annoying sunlight. Luigi looked around and saw the four in the back, near the clearing.

Mario, Peach, Bowser and Toadsworth all looked terrible. Not one of them looked as though they had gotten any sleep at all, for they all had dark circles under their eyes. Their hair (and Toadsworth's mustache) were all bedraggled and their clothes were disheveled. Mario was missing his hat and both his shoes; Peach didn't have her crown, her gloves, and her jewelry; Toadsworth's tie was gone and his vest was undone; and even though Bowser technically didn't have clothes, he still looked as disgruntled as the others. Their voices were hoarse and raspy, which meant the Toad was right - they had been arguing all night. Though they were tired beyond belief, nothing could blot out the anger in their eyes.

Even though he was still a small distance away, Luigi's headache intensified when he heard the arguing. It was frightfully loud and it made his ears ring. As he walked up to them slowly, no one even noticed him.

"For the last time, Bowser, I am _not_ coming with you!" Peach snapped. She was holding up a hand to her temple, rubbing it softly. "Why can't you understand that?"

"After all this mess we've had with the Chaos Heart, you still want to be a shallow, inconsiderate jerk?" Mario growled, never leaving Peach's side.

"You can't deny me, I told you!" Bowser looked ready to spew flames. "You said _'I do'_ at the wedding! Therefore, we are husband and wife! And that means you need to come with me!"

"No, she does not! Even if she was your wife, she has the right to remain here!" Toadsworth piped up, though his short stature didn't faze the King of Koopas.

"Peach is too my wife!" Bowser contradicted.

"I am not!" Peach shouted.

"She will never be your wife!" Mario yelled, his face reddened with anger and potential jealousy.

Bowser laughed mockingly. "As if Peach ever wanted to be with a lowlife piece of trash like you!" He puffed out his chest. "I am a great king, whereas you are just a short little plumber whose ego is unfortunately too big for your size!"

Luigi knew Bowser had struck a huge nerve. Mario's red face turned scarlet and he opened his mouth, but no words came out. His fists shook, as if he was fighting the urge to jump up and knock Bowser's teeth out.

"We exchanged vows. We had our rings. We had all the minions present as witnesses. It's all legal, and nothing you can say can revoke that!" Bowser roared.

"It is _not_ legal!" Luigi yelled, his headache becoming too much to bear. He just wanted the arguing to stop.

Everyone stopped fighting and looked at him, obviously confused. They had not even noticed him.

Mario did notice, however, that Luigi was rubbing both his temples and he was wincing. "Bro, are you okay? You don't look well," he said worriedly, coming over to him and hugging him gently.

Luigi wanted to laugh at that, considering how terrible Mario looked in comparison, but the headache prevented him. "I-I'm okay, Bro," he said shakily.

"Jeez, why don't you two kiss while you're at it?" Bowser rolled his eyes.

Mario's face turned red again and he growled at Bowser, but Luigi stepped forward. Yes, he was terrified of Bowser, but now he felt this newfound courage deep within and he didn't want to let that go. "The wedding is not valid," he said again.

"How dare you say that! We did everything right!" Bowser shouted. "Peach is my wife!"

"No, no," Luigi said, wishing Bowser would stop shouting. "Peach was hypnotized by...by Count Bleck's minion...the one with the glasses." He realized he couldn't remember her name.

"Nastasia," Mario said instantly.

Luigi nodded. "Yes, her. Nastasia. Peach never wanted to marry you willingly, Bowser. She was...she was _forced_ to do so in order to awaken the Chaos Heart. And...a-according to the Mushroom Kingdom Nuptial Law, _both_ parties must consent to marriage. Peach didn't give her full consent, because she was being mind-controlled. Therefore...it's not valid."

Everyone was stunned into shock.

"How- Where did- How do you know this?!" Bowser roared.

"I was there. I was a witness," Luigi said plainly. I saw how Count Bleck told Nastasia to hypnotize the princess. I saw the Chaos Heart rise because of the fake marriage."

"I'm not married to Bowser?" Peach asked in a breathless voice, full of hope.

Luigi shook his head, smiling. "Nope."

The princess smiled and laughed in delight. Toadsworth looked so awashed with relief that he swooned and nearly fainted. Mario had glistening eyes as he started to cheer. "Attaboy, Weegee!"

Unfortunately, Bowser was not so happy. His face turned scarlet just as Mario's had a few minutes ago. "No!" he roared, his nostrils smoking. "You ruined everything!"

His large scaly hands suddenly reached out and grabbed Luigi, ensnarling him in his grip. Said green-clad man gasped for air.

Before anyone else could react, Bowser leaned back and launched him across the library, using all his strength.

" _Luigi!_ " Mario screamed.

The last thing Luigi remembered was his head hitting a large bookshelf and then he blacked out.


	3. Hospital Recovery

It seemed like eternities before Luigi opened his eyes again.

The first thing he registered was that he was in the castle's medical wing, and that he was in a bed again. He recognized the painfully white walls, occasionally embedded with the red cross symbol. He could feel the crisp white hospital blankets draped lightly over his body.

Another thing he registered was that he had a ice pack on his head. It was cooling and it numbed his sweltering headache a bit, making it easier to focus. He kept looking around, finding three balloons floating, their strings tied to the bedstand. He didn't know who it was from, but he did like their pretty colors.

As Luigi looked around, he suddenly caught sight of Peach. She was sitting in a chair near the bed. There was a book open in her lap, but her eyes closed. Luigi wasn't sure if she was asleep or just resting her eyes, but he took a guess, anyway.

"Princess?"

At the sound of his voice, Peach stirred slowly and yawned. She blinked, then suddenly sat up. "Oh, Luigi! You're awake!" she said cheerfully.

"I am," Luigi said blankly, not noticing what he said. He noticed that she look more well-rested than the last time he saw her. She still wore no jewelry, but her hair and clothes had been taken care of. Then he looked around again. "Wh-What happened? Where's Mario?" he said shakily.

"You took a pretty bad hit when Bowser threw you across the library," Peach said, her smile fading. "A whole bookshelf broke apart, but amazingly, the doctors didn't find a single gash or anything on you. But Mario immediately went into combat mode when he saw what Bowser did. The two ended up having a really bad fight. Both of them suffered pretty tough wounds. But Bowser eventually gave up and went home after he had too much. He'll be ranting like a toddler to Kamek for a while, but he'll get over it."

"What about Mario?" Luigi asked worriedly.

"He's fine, don't worry," Peach replied. "Mostly cuts and bruises, but Bowser did injure Mario's arm pretty badly, so he'll wear a sling for a while. He's still resting, which is why I went to check on you."

Luigi sighed. "This is all my fault."

"How?" Peach asked, shocked.

"I-I shouldn't have said anything. Mario got hurt because of me," Luigi replied, feeling upset.

"But you saved me!" Peach added. "You proved to Bowser that the marriage was invalid. I'm not married to that creep, after all!" She placed a hand on his shoulder gently. "Thank you for that, Luigi. I'll probably never be able to make it up to you, but thank you."

Luigi turned shy. He was never sure how to accept compliments without sounding too rude or clingy. "Y-You're very welcome, Princess. I'm glad I could help," he said softly. He now felt cold, so he removed the ice pack for a moment. He looked at it, fingering the rubbery texture. Then he looked back up. "When will I get out of here?"

"I'm not sure, Luigi. You look plenty fine to me, and you've been here a few hours. I might say you're ready, but the doctors may say otherwise," Peach answered gently, shrugging.

"I hope it's soon. I have to see Mario," Luigi insisted. "I-I know you said he's okay, and I believe you...but I just wanna see him."

* * *

It was a few hours before Luigi was released. The doctor had insisted that he stay and rest awhile, no matter how hard Luigi begged. He didn't want the green-clad man getting a concussion or anything of the sort. However, he didn't know anything about Luigi's headache, nor did he question him when said man asked for an aspirin. It seemed pretty normal to him, considering that Luigi had indeed taken quite a blow from the King of Koopas.

When it was finally time, Luigi practically flew out from the room to see his brother, at the cost of nearly knocking over several Toad doctors and nurses. Luckily, no one was hurt, but some did give him questionable looks.

According to the princess, Mario had gone home to their cottage, so Luigi turned around and headed there. He nearly tripped a few times due to his rash speed, but he didn't care. He wanted to see his brother.

Once he arrived at their cozy abode, he unlocked the door and went inside. "Mario, are you in here?" he called out, noticing that everything was dark. The drapes had been drawn, but the fireplace had a small blaze going, crackling within the embers.

Upon opening the door wider, Luigi could see that someone was sitting on the couch. He tentatively walked over, careful not to make too much noise. "Mario?"

Luigi saw Mario sitting on the sofa. He had a book open in his lap and a light-blue blanket with stars wrapped around him, but it seemed like fatigue had overcome him, because he was fast asleep. His left arm was wrapped from elbow to hand and placed in a sling, which upset Luigi. He knew that Mario was left-handed, so some things would be harder for him to do for a while.

Looking closer, Luigi also noted that Mario had some light damage on his body. Bruises and a few welts danced along his other arm, and a couple of scratches were on his face. There was one cut that was bright and red across Mario's right cheek, sticking out like a sore thumb. His eyes still had dark circles under them, and his hair was still bedraggled.

In other words, he was a wreck.

"Oh, Mario," Luigi whispered regretfully as he looked at him. His headache seemed to throb even more at the sight of seeing his brother hurt. Feeling a tad dizzy, he made room on the sofa and sat down next to Mario. He reached out and softly ran a hand through his frazzled hair. "I'm so sorry this happened to you..."


	4. Migraine

As the days wore on, Luigi made sure to assist his brother in any way he could. Mario did have some trouble operating some things with only one hand, such as cooking and cleaning, though he was reluctant to receive any help. He disliked the fact that Luigi blamed himself for what had occurred in the library. It wasn't Luigi's fault at all for telling the truth. It was Bowser's, for launching him in the first place. Mario didn't like to see his brother belittling himself.

Luckily, Mario didn't have to wear the sling for very long. Bowser had not broken his arm; he'd merely twisted it. In about two weeks or so, he was able to remove it, though the doctor urgently restricted any strenuous activity that might further injure it. He told Luigi to make sure of it.

But then, just as the aftershock of the Void had wore off and life was beginning to return to its normal, peaceful state, things abruptly took a turn for the worse.

* * *

Luigi's headaches had grown unbearable. They were worse than migraines, pulsing like crazy in his head; it was a thunderous feeling. All day long, he shuffled by, trying so hard to alleviate the pain. He felt constant pounding in his head, but the worst area was at the very top. In other terms, he felt like a volcano was due to erupt from his cranium any second. Luigi wanted so badly for the headaches to stop, but they didn't go away, no matter how much medicine he took and how many home remedies he attempted.

As the pain intensified, Luigi became hypersensitive of light and sound. He refused to go outside, for the bright sunlight was aggravating and the loud noises rang in his ears. He couldn't bring himself to eat or drink anything. Nighttime was no better; Luigi couldn't ignore the pain well enough to fall asleep. This began to take a toll on his physical health.

Once Mario noticed how grave the condition was, he had confined Luigi to bed rest until they found a cure. But no cure came through. Luigi would lie on that bed for hours in darkness and silence, moaning pitifully as the pain throbbed in his temples. Mario tried every remedy he could think of: ice packs, incense, natural herbs, massages, 1-UPs, healing potions, cake, etc. Luigi couldn't understand why he was getting such painful headaches, and Mario was getting frustrated because he didn't know, either. This definitely drove him crazy. He hated to see his little brother in pain. The only thing that kept Mario from taking Luigi to the hospital was that he didn't know how to transport him safely. Their house was too far from the hospital for Mario to carry him, and most of the staff didn't have time to make the journey. The bed didn't have wheels.

Then one day, it happened.

* * *

Mario was pacing back and forth in the living room, feverishly reading some medical books to see if there were any remedies that he'd missed. There had to be something that could help Luigi. He couldn't bear seeing his brother suffer so much.

Suddenly, he heard Luigi give a loud, pained howl. This made all his hair stand on end; he had never heard his brother make that kind of sound. Something was happening.

Mario dropped the books and raced up the stairs. "What is it, Luigi?" he called out, worried. "What's going on?"

He burst into the darkened room, the drapes on the windows drawn. Through the meager light that shone through, he could barely see his brother tossing and turning on the bed, wailing relentlessly. He was clutching the top of his head with both hands. Luigi's body gave a few spasms, and he howled in pain again. His legs kicked involuntarily. " _Make it stop! Make it stop!_ " he yelled.

"What's wrong?! Let me see, Luigi!" Mario said as he tried to see what was ailing his brother. It was too dark for him to see clearly.

Luigi gave another howl as he removed one of his hands and tried to lash out at Mario, who backed away just in time. " _Get away from me!_ " he yelled. A cascade of tears slipped down his face as he twisted his face in pain.

The thing that really unnerved Mario wasn't the fact that his brother had tried to hit him. It was that he saw that Luigi's hand was covered in blood.

"Oh, my God!" Mario gasped. He looked down at Luigi's pillow, and sure enough, he could see some dark splotches decorating it. Luigi writhed around and cried out again, his voice full of pain.

Mario couldn't handle this any longer. He dashed out of the room and down the stairs. He picked up the phone and punched in a few numbers.

"Dr. Toadley's office," a bored female voice rang out. She had a New York accent. "Do you wish to make an appointment?"

Mario tried his best to calm himself, but his nerves got the best of him. "You've got to help me! My brother is-" he tried to say.

"Do you wish to make an appointment?" the female voice droned on again.

"No! I need Dr. Toadley here-" Mario tried to explain.

"I'm sorry, but Dr. Toadley cannot take walk-in appointments, he is very busy. You'll have to schedule an appointment-"

"To hell with your appointments!" Mario shouted, losing his cool. "Luigi is bleeding out and he's in terrible pain! Get Dr. Toadley over here right now!" He didn't like to raise his voice, but time was of the essence here. He didn't want to waste any of it for appointments.

Now the female voice sounded alarmed. "O-Oh, Luigi!" she gasped, with recognition in her voice. She now knew who she was talking to. "I-I'm sorry, Mario! Don't worry, I will send the doctor here right away!"

Mario hung up without saying goodbye and raced back to the room. He could see Luigi thrashing about on the bed, still holding the top of his head. He was still howling and wailing in pain. More dark splotches were appearing. Luigi's hands were now completely saturated with fresh blood, and it was spreading to his face.

A single tear slipped down Mario's face involuntarily. He was terribly scared; he had no idea how to help his brother.

"What's happened to you, Bro?" he whispered frightfully.


	5. Surgery

The next few hours seemed to fly by in a blur.

First, Dr. Toadley had promptly arrived in an ambulance. He had been very worried about the panic heard in Mario's voice, so he postponed his current appointment and hurried right over.

When the doctor was led upstairs and he saw Luigi's grave condition, he was overwhelmed with shock. Never had he seen a display so filled with terrible pain and terror. Luigi was a weeping, bloody mess on that bed. He kept crying out as he clutched his head, his body spasming. What really unsettled him was that he saw what was happening to the younger brother.

Something was protruding from his cranium.

He could see it once Mario held his brother down and pried Luigi's hands away: a small bloody lump partially hidden among the dark brown hair. He didn't know what it was, but he knew it was no time to dwell on the subject. Luigi had to be taken to the hospital immediately.

No sooner than they had stepped foot into the hospital floor did Dr. Toadley whisk Luigi away to prep him for surgery. Sedation and proper equipment had to be brought and ready.

Mario, however, was not permitted to come in during the operation, and this really upset him. He wasn't entirely trusting of the Toad's knowledge on human anatomy, since so few humans actually resided in the Mushroom Kingdom. Plus, he had a lifelong aversion of needles and blades, and seeing his brother hooked up with those was terrible. Luckily, Dr. Toadley managed to calm the frantic brother down and have him wait in the waiting room until the surgery was done.

Mario paced the blue-and-white linoleum floors of the waiting room, unable to rest. He was too worried about his brother to care about the other Toads watching him anxiously from their seats. He didn't know what was happening to Luigi, nor did he really trust the doctor's knowledge. What if something even worse happened during surgery?

What on earth had caused all this?

He kept pondering that thought for the next couple of agonizing hours. What really drove him up the wall was that it looked like Dr. Toadley knew what was wrong. Why did he know, and not Mario? What was happening? What could it be?

He couldn't wait.

* * *

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Dr. Toadley came back to the waiting room and signaled Mario to come.

Mario immediately jumped up and dashed over to the doctor, nearly knocking over a table cluttered with health magazines. "How is Luigi?" he breathed.

"Is Luigi faring well? Indeed he is, though the surgery has left him very weak and frail at this time. I had to remove something that had been dangerously attached to his brain," Dr. Toadley replied. "But should Luigi make a full recovery? He should, with the proper care."

"What did you remove?" Mario asked, not daring to relax just yet.

Dr. Toadley made no answer; he simply beckoned with his finger.

The two walked rather quickly, but silently towards the ICU.

* * *

Luigi looked little more than a pale, sickly child in that hospital bed. His face was nearly drained of color, and there were dark circles under his closed eyes, looking bruised. Large machines stood by the bedside, and several small tubes injected themselves into Luigi's arms, with the breathing tube still placed over his mouth and nose. The top of his head was shaved and wrapped in a soft dressing, but it was obvious to see that it was a bloody mess up there.

But there was no more pain. Mario saw no pain present on Luigi's face. He simply lay there, in a deep sleep. Uncomfortable, yes, with all those machines there, but there was no pain anywhere.

Mario took a few deep breaths to calm his rapidly beating heart, then turned back to the doctor. "What did you remove?" he asked again, in a much softer tone.

"Do I know exactly what it is?" Dr. Toadley started. "No. It is something not native to the Mushroom Kingdom."

Mario raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Was it from Earth?" he asked.

Dr. Toadley shook his head. "Not even from Earth. What I removed seems like a type of plant, with two large leaves and a long, thin stem. Is it dead now? Yes, surely, but its rapid growth must have been what caused poor Luigi so much pain." He looked back at the sleeping brother for a minute. "At first, I thought it was just an ordinary plant, but then I found something. The base of the plant had extensive roots, much bigger and longer than any plant I had ever seen. They had burrowed deep into Luigi's brain, which was quite difficult to remove. But did I remove all traces of the plant? Yes, indeed. I gave Luigi a thorough brain scan to confirm that none of the plant was left."

Mario was relieved that nothing harmful left in Luigi's brain, but something else unnerved him greatly. "The plant that you removed...can I see it?" he asked.

"Is it familiar to you?" the doctor questioned.

"I-I think so. The description sounds awfully familiar," Mario replied, worriedly.

"I will get it, then," Dr. Toadley affirmed. He then turned and walked out of the door.

Mario immediately headed over to his brother's side. He knew Luigi probably wouldn't wake up for a few more hours or so, but he just wanted to let the younger sibling know he was there. But he was glad that Luigi was finally alright. Mario tentatively reached out and gently grasped his brother's hand.

A few minutes later, Dr. Toadley came back into the room, holding a tray with a metal cover. "This is it," he said, removing the cover.

Mario released his brother's hand and walked over to the doctor. As soon as he laid eyes on the two-leaved plant, he reared back in shock, his eyes wide. A slight gasp of air escaped his mouth. "Oh...!"

"Do you recognize it?" Dr. Toadley inquired, raising an eyebrow.

Mario gulped hard and nodded. "Y-Yes," he breathed. "That plant is called a Floro Sprout. Tippi and I found them while we were in the Void. That thing was also placed on Luigi. Dimentio hypnotized him with it."


	6. Floro Sprout

"Floro Sprout? That is unheard of," Dr. Toadley responded, his eyes widening. "Have I ever heard of such a specimen? No, I haven't."

"It's from another dimension," Mario explained in a grim tone. "Tippi and I came across a bunch of little cave-people at one point who had those plants on their heads. They were being mind-controlled, as well.

"Later on, Dimentio - one of the bad guys - put that thing on Luigi's head. He took control of my brother's mind and forced him to be an enemy."

"Is this terrible? It certainly is!" Dr. Toadley gasped.

Mario nodded and continued. "I should have been with him," he glowered. "But Luigi and I were separated for most of the time. I didn't see him until I came to the River Twygs. Dimentio had drowned him.

"Luigi didn't remember anything that had happened since he woke up in Castle Bleck, and I thought he was fine. We all did. But...in the final battle, when we were trying to corner Dimentio, that Floro Sprout suddenly came out of Luigi's head, and he turned on us."

"So the Floro Sprout is used to take control of the brain?" Dr. Toadley asked, without expecting an answer. "Is this very interesting? It is. I have never seen a plant with such extraordinary abilities. I must research this Floro Sprout whenever I can."

"It's a weird plant, that's for sure," Mario commented flatly, taking off his cap for a moment and wiping his brow.

Dr. Toadley looked thoughtful, then cleared his throat. "However," he started, "this would also explain the extensive roots. When I was performing Luigi's surgery, I found that the roots of the plant descended deep into his brain. That could be how the mind-control is achieved; the roots might absorb the central core. But these roots were so embedded into his brain, so tangled and wired, that I feared I'd never get them all out."

"But you did remove it all, right?" Mario immediately asked in a warning tone.

"Did I? I certainly did," Dr. Toadley replied, nodding. "But Dimentio should not be able to control Luigi anymore, correct?"

"Yes." The answer was instantaneous. Mario looked straight at the doctor with cold, hard eyes. "I destroyed him. Dimentio's dead."

This response did not seem to unnerve Dr. Toadley, though he did raise his eyebrow at hearing Mario's deadpan tone. "Very well, then. Luigi shouldn't suffer any more hypnosis or mind-control."

Mario nodded, but he still sensed that Dr. Toadley was not finished speaking. "But...?"

Dr. Toadley saw his cue. "Is something bothering me? There is," he said finally. He gestured to one of the large machines that connected itself to Luigi. Various body functions showed themselves on the monitor, such as heartbeat and respiratory rate. "Luigi is sedated and should not wake up for a few more hours. He is completely unconscious, according to medical standards. This means that his vital levels should be relatively low, such as his pulse and breathing rate. But look here." He gestured to one line was was rapidling bouncing up and down. "Does Luigi have an unusually high level of brain activity going on? He does."

"And...what does that mean?" Mario asked, not sure if he should feel concern or not.

"It means that Luigi's mind is fully conscious," Dr. Toadley explained. "It's as though he is fully awake."

Mario's eyes widened and he turned to his brother. Luigi was still unmoving on the bed, a pale wisp of a man. The only sign of movement was the slow, gradual rise and fall of his chest. "How?" he asked in disbelief.

"Do I know this? I do not," the doctor responded truthfully. "But it is rather strange. I have never seen this before."

Mario shook his head in disbelief. "Do you think that Floro Sprout might have something to do with it?"

"Do I agree with that? I do, which is why I will layer be conducting research on this plant," Dr. Toadley replied. "I will utilize my crystal ball if necessary. This is a most extraordinary case, and I wish to gather as much information as possible."

Mario nodded, then turned back towards his unconscious(?) brother. "So when Luigi wakes up, what will happen?" he asked. "I mean, you did operate on his brain, so..."

"Am I glad you asked me that? I am," Dr. Toadley replied. Because the Floro Sprout's roots had grown deep into every area of his brain: personality, decision-making, motor skills, Luigi will not be able to move or think very well.

"However, he is very lucky. Had those roots gone any deeper, I wouldn't have been able to remove all the roots without damaging the core of his brain. We will have to assist him for the next couple weeks, until he gets better."

Mario nodded thoughtfully at this. "Alright. I'm just glad that Luigi won't have those cursed headaches anymore," he said.

"Perhaps, but will Luigi feel lightheaded and confused at first? He might," Dr. Toadley replied. "Having brain surgery is certainly a life-altering experience."

* * *

A few hours later, Mario was still in Luigi's room. He was reading a book, but he was practically dozing off at this point, so basically, he was just skimming the page.

A soft sigh snapped him awake. Mario quickly put down the book and called for the doctor. "Dr. Toadley! I think Luigi's waking up!"

Dr. Toadley came in rapidly, carrying a clipboard. The two then quickly went over to the bed, eagerly anticipating.

Luigi's body stirred, then he opened his sapphire blue eyes. The pupils were a bit enlarged as he looked around him, confused. "Wh...Where...where am I?" he managed to say in a tired whisper.

"You're in the hospital, Luigi," Mario said gently.

"Hos...Hospital?" Luigi murmured again. Then his eyes widened in delight as he caught sight of his brother. "M-Mario!" he cried happily. Luigi tried to sit up, but the most he could was shift his arms and his torso. He looked down at himself, concerned. "Why...Why can't I...move?"

"Have I performed brain surgery on you, Luigi? I certainly have," Dr. Toadley replied matter-of-factly. "Your body is in a delicate state right now. You won't be able to move about comfortably until your nervous system has fully recovered."

" _S-Surgery?!_ Why?" Luigi exclaimed, though his voice was no louder than a whisper. "I just had...headaches..." He tried to point at his head, but his fingers only twitched upon command.

"Not so," Dr. Toadley responded. "Your headaches were caused by an extraordinary plant that was attempting to absorb every aspect of your brain. But have I removed everything? I certainly have."

"Plant...?" Luigi asked, his eyelids suddenly drooping. He looked exhausted already. "I don't..."

Before either Mario or Dr. Toadley could elaborate further, Luigi closed his eyes and drifted off into unconsciousness.

Mario looked worriedly at the doctor. "Is he alright?"

"Yes, he is," Dr. Toadley said. "Luigi, as all my other brain surgery patients were, is simply exhausted. We must allow him to rest constantly."

Mario nodded, but his face still looked tight. "I don't think he's gonna like hearing about the Floro Sprout," he commented.


	7. Strange Dreams

Just as Mario had predicted, Luigi did not like hearing about the Floro Sprout at all. He was equally shocked by how the plant had been able to come out again, if Dimentio had been destroyed. No one was controlling that plant anymore.

How did it manage to rise, then?

* * *

Another thing he was freaked out about was the surgery itself. He knew a bit about such procedures, and was mortified when he learned that Dr. Toadley had to shave part of his head to perform the operation. He had wailed to Mario that he might be bald forever, while his brother simply laughed and reassured him it would grow back in time. He also wasn't too pleased about the staples, either.

In the weeks that followed, Luigi stayed in the hospital, learning how to move about and walk again, since he was very unbalanced and uncoordinated. He also had mini-sessions with Dr. Toadley, who continuously had him do problem-solving and other mind-games in order to sharpen his thinking skills again. Mario also spent time with him, talking and laughing with him in order to bring Luigi's spirits up.

Luigi was beyond elated to see that he did not suffer from any more headaches, though it did frustrate him that his walking and thinking progress was slow. It took him lots of energy to accomplish simple tasks. Dr. Toadley and Mario both had to remind him that while recovery would be complete, it wouldn't be immediate. He had to give it time.

* * *

But one thing that started to unnerve Luigi were his dreams. Every night, when he closed his eyes, he would plunge into Castle Bleck. But Luigi had different experiences than the ones he did have.

He never heard Count Bleck talking about him to Nastasia, while he was trapped in a box. Count Bleck never stood over him and called him "the one".

He never took off his green clothing and then switched on some black clothing, a jumpsuit or something like that. He never turned his cap inside out and emblazoned a black background around the inverted L. He never put on a mask.

He never saw Nastasia, Dimentio, Mimi and O'Chunks meeting with Count Belck, discussing the Dark Prognosticus.

He never worked on elaborate machinery in Castle Bleck, building giant robots, two or three.

He never recalled actually engaging in battle with Mario, Peach and Bowser, especially when they were on opposite sides.

He never remembered talking in a strong, powerful voice, without any traces of his normally-present Italian accent.

He never experienced any of these things. But Luigi dreamed them, all from the first-person point-of-view. He even dreamed that Dimentio happily trapped him in a box, and setting it on fire. He dreamed that he fought Mario in battle, in a white and desolate wasteland. He dreamed that Dimentio took him and merged with him, to create a voracious monster, determined to crush Mario.

But he never dreamed of the experiences he did have. Always others.

All these strange dreams were unnerving him, since they seemed so real. He couldn't stop thinking about them, even when the new ones ended and the cycle of dreams started over again. Eventually, the dreams faded away until he only had them occasionally, yet his mind was still transfixed on it. He was not a lucid dreamer, yet he couldn't deny the fact that these dreams he was seeing weren't actually dreams; rather, they seemed like suppressed memories. Luigi could tell because dreams were haphazard and they had several breaks in time and continuity, yet these dreams were straightforward and clear. He could even feel the emotions swirling through his body as he experienced them.

Had Nastasia and Dimentio erased his memory while he was their captive? What had he done during that time?

And why on earth would he fight against his own brother?

"They can't be my own memories," Luigi had thought to himself late one night. "I would never turn against my brother. I would never fight him like that."

Was he holding the potential memories of another person? Another one of Count Bleck's minions, perhaps?

If so, why? Why was he the carrier?

All of these questions with no answers was tiring Luigi out. What was worse was that he didn't know who to turn to. Mario didn't know any more about dreams than he did, Dr. Toadley only specified in medical care and fortune-telling, and Professor E. Gadd (another trusted friend) only knew jack about ghosts and things like that. Luigi didn't think any of them would understand his weird dreams.

* * *

A week later, Luigi lay in his bed. It was now past sunset, but the moon hadn't quite risen yet. He was exhausted, but his face was teeming joy. He had just passed his latest physio with flying colors. He had managed to walk the entire hallway in the hospital and back, which was quite a feat for him, considering he did it all without the aid of crutches. Mario was there, as well as the princess, and they had cheered and applauded him every step of the way.

Of course, he felt tired afterward, but he didn't care anymore. Luigi had overheard Dr. Toadley say that he was making excellent progress and that he might even be released in two weeks or so.

Luigi propped up to his side as gently as his shaky hands would allow, then reached over and fluffed up his pillow. Then he sighed and lay down on his side. He longed to sleep in his own bed, where his blankets were soft and fluffy and had cool lightning designs on them. Truth be told, he was getting sick of being cooped up here.

But he had passed the physio, and he was very proud of himself for that.

He ran a hand through his hair. The scar had almost healed completely; it now felt just a little tender to the touch. Taking a lot of 1-UPs had sped up the healing process. His hair (the part that had been shaved) was growing back, too. A nice layer of brown fuzz had materialized on his scalp, but Luigi occasionally sneaked a bit of hair tonic as well. Soon he'd be able to brush it.

As Luigi was closing his eyes to rest, he suddenly felt overcome with this wave of dizziness that washed over him. He didn't think anything of it at first. These little dizzy spells were usually normal. He felt a little lightheaded after doing his physical exams sometimes. No biggie.

But now...this felt vastly different.

Instead of feeling lightheaded as usual, Luigi felt as though the room itself was spinning around him. Whenever he looked around, the world rippled in the most confusing waves.

"Wha- What's happening?" he said to himself, feeling mildly concerned. He had to keep a hand on his head to maintain his balance. He tried shaking his head to clear away the dizziness, but that only made things worse.

This wasn't normal.

Luigi now saw red and white dots flashing and dancing alongside the edge of his vision. The colors that he saw seemed to flash brightly. His strength was quickly withering away, and he found it hard to move any limbs.

"Why am I...?" he tried to say, but it came out as a feeble whisper. He couldn't say anything any louder than that. His breathing involuntarily started to speed up, as it did when he was unnerved.

Luigi was scared now. He didn't know why he was feeling this way, or why it was happening so suddenly. The only thing he could think of was to call the nurse.

Using all his last strength, Luigi propped himself up on his side again. He shakily reached out, breathing hard, and tried to press the CALL NURSE button on the little dresser adjacent to his bed. He blamed himself for placing the button on the table, because now it seemed grow farther away from him. The world was beginning to bend in alarming ways.

Reach...the button!

With a last burst of energy, Luigi's hand slapped on the button and the green light began to blink rapidly. Luigi saw the little green light pulse over and over again until it faded away and his world turned dark.


	8. Rise, Mr L

Dr. Toadley knew something was wrong from the moment that Luigi pressed the button. He had been chatting nonchalantly with Mario and Princess Peach, when one of the nurses reported that room 702 was calling for a nurse. The green light flashed on and off on the computer screen.

All of a sudden, a cold chill raced up Dr. Toadley's back, something that always happened whenever something was wrong. He quickly excused himself from Mario and Peach, then quickly headed to room 702. The two had looked at each other worriedly.

"Luigi! Are you faring well?" he called as he knocked twice on the door. When no reply came, Dr. Toadley opened the room and stepped inside.

He saw Luigi slouched over on the bed, unconscious. His hand was dangling from the bed, the CALL NURSE button on the floor. Luigi's face was pale and sickly, much whiter than it should have been.

He looked dead.

"Luigi!" Dr. Toadley cried out in shock. He instantly ran over to his side. But before he could do anything else, the younger Mario brother suddenly stirred. He let out a sleepy sigh as he tried to prop himself up on the bed. He rubbed his eyes and opened them, looking right at the doctor.

Dr. Toadley knew something about human eyes. Much complex than Toad eyes, human eyes had a colorful ring called an iris, and within them, a dark pupil, where light was transmitted to the brain. The pupil often grew or shrank depending on light fixture or strong emotions. But as far as he knew, the iris didn't change color. Once born, irises stayed the same color throughout a human's life.

As Luigi looked at him, Dr. Toadley was surprised to see that Luigi's eyes had lost their sapphire blue color entirely, as if they had been thoroughly drained. Now, the irises had a silvery sheen on top of a dull grey, reflecting the light transmitted onto them. The normal twinkle in Luigi's eyes was gone. Instead, there was an ominous presence within the small black pupils. It reminded Dr. Toadley of an animal staring into the headlights.

Luigi gave a sharp gasp as he drew back from Dr. Toadley. He instantly sat up in the bed and shied away from him, as if he had never seen him before. Wide-eyed, he studied his surroundings.

"Luigi, are you alright?" Dr. Toadley asked in confusion. Why did the younger brother act as though he didn't recognize him? Did he suddenly develop an acute case of amnesia?

Luigi did not even acknowledge the Toad. He simply glanced around the room, a look of alarm and on his face. His hand grasped the metal bed railing and tightened. His breathing was quickening. His mouth opened and quivered, but no audible words were heard. It was if he didn't know what to say.

"Do you know where you are?" Dr. Toadley asked in a loud and clear voice. Perhaps Luigi had developed amnesia and needed some support.

Luigi turned his silver eyes back towards the doctor. He studied every inch of the Toad, but not one look of recognition was displayed on the man's face. In fact, he looked lost and confused. Perhaps even afraid.

* * *

At that moment, Mario opened the door and came in, a look of worry on his face, while Peach stayed just outside the doorway. He opened his mouth to say something, but never got to say it.

As soon as Luigi laid eyes on Mario, everything changed. His demeanor went from panicky and timid to fierce and angry in an instant. His silver eyes blazed with red fury. " _YOU!_ " he yelled in a tone that sounded so furious and dangerous that he made everyone jump. It didn't sound like Luigi at all. "Why do you keep coming back?!"

Mario gasped. "Oh-!"

Immediately, Luigi hauled himself up on the bed so that he was standing. He leapt forward and pounced on Mario, sending the two to the floor. Peach screamed and ran, calling for the nurses, while Dr. Toadley could only watch in pure shock. He couldn't think. He couldn't move.

"You should have died, Mr. Jumpsallthetime!" Luigi shouted in such raw anger as he tried to suffocate Mario, pressing his hands against the other's throat. "Why won't you just leave me alone?! Why did you have to ruin everything?!"

But as strong as Luigi was, he just had brain surgery weeks ago; therefore he didn't have much strength. Before Luigi could successfully overwhelm him by asphyxiation, Mario managed to squeeze his legs in and kicked his brother off. Luigi hit the wall across the room and landed on his stomach, breathing hard.

Mario wasted no time. He immediately threw himself on top of Luigi, hooking his arms across his brother's underarms, rendering him defenseless. But Luigi kept fighting, however. He kept trying to claw at Mario's face. But the elder brother kept up the stronghold until Luigi's strength withered away and he slumped down into unconsciousness, his face going pale again. His eyes were half-opened, and they still had a silvery sheen within them.

Peach then arrived at the door again, accompanied by at least half of the hospital staff there. But Dr. Toadley took no notice of that. He was engrossed by what had just happened here. His hands were shaking, which was very rare for him.

"What has come to pass?" he managed to say in an airy whisper. "What happened to Luigi?"

"That was not Luigi," Mario said in a quiet, yet hardened voice. He unhooked himself from Luigi and held him gently, supporting his head.

Dr. Toadley was quiet as he awaited an explanation.

"When Dimentio and Nastasia hypnotized my brother, they turned him into a villain, who only went by the name of Mr. L. That villain was built to serve Count Bleck, and he saw us as enemies. His primary objective was to kill and annihilate Peach, Bowser and I."

Dr. Toadley had not moved yet, for he was still in shock. "But Luigi is no longer hypnotized...!" he managed to say in a shaky voice. "How...?"

"I know. He's not," Mario said, his voice starting to tremble. He looked with glistening eyes at his unconscious brother. "But it looks like Mr. L has come back nonetheless."


	9. Author's Note

**A/N: At long last, I return! :D**

 **I want to deeply apologize for leaving you all hanging on the various stories that I had here. D: I did not meant to disappear for so long, and I want to make up for it by continuing my work!**

 **Some of my stories will be heavily edited/updated to fix plot holes and general information, so please have patience with that. But I will now try to get into the swing of uploading things.**

 **(This chapter will be deleted once these stories are updated.)**


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